[Analysis of the recurrence pattern in Hodgkin's disease]

The data published about the healing chances of Hodgkin's disease cannot reflect reality since the evaluation includes also the technically preventable marginal recurrences. The analysis of 63 own cases furnishes the same result as far as only one true recurrence was found in the irradiated regions. Only in two patients we have seen a progression of the disease in lymph nodes beyond the extended field. The evaluation of our recurrences shows a clear pattern: in the individual cases, progression during radiotherapy and recurrences are very probably due to an understaging or to a problem concerning the dose.